Monday – Jesus cleanses the temple and curses the fig tree; God prepares those who will accept His sacrifice.
Let us not dry up a fig tree which may yet bear fruit, nor condemn it as useless and cumbering the ground, when possibly the care and diligence of a skillful gardener may yet heal it. And do not let us so quickly destroy so great a work through what is perhaps the spite and malice of the devil. But let us choose to be merciful rather than severe, and lovers of the poor rather than of abstract justice. Let us not make more account of those who would enkindle us to this than of those who would restrain us, considering, if nothing else, the disgrace of appearing to contend against mendicants who have this great advantage that even if they are in the wrong they are pitied for their misfortune.
St. Gregory Nazianzen, Letter to Theodore, Bishop of Tyana, NPNF, s. 2, v. 7, pp. 911-912.
Taken from page 110 in the Treasures of the Fathers.
Every one should think of as concerning his own last day; lest haply when you judge or think the last day of the world to be far distant, you slumber with respect to your own last day…Let no one then search out for the last Day, when it is to be; but let us watch all by our own good lives, lest the last day of any one of us find us unprepared, and such as any one shall depart hence on his last day, such he be found in the last day of the world.
St. Augustine, Sermon 47, NPNF, s. 1, v. 6, p. 877.
Taken from page 148 in the Treasures of the Fathers.
Tuesday – Jesus teaches in the temple for the last time; God sends the invitation to come enjoy His sacrifice.
Prayer
Which path, O Lord, am I traveling on? The path that leads to life, or destruction? Am I walking on a dark path, rejecting Your commandments, denying your grace? Help me find my Way in this world.
Do we fear God and have a soft heart that yields to Your love and that accepts Your teachings?
Oh, how can I have a heart to accept the Holy One! Enlarge my heart, O Lord, so that I may be able to taste more of Your love, so that I may taste the riches of the sweetness of Your mercy.
Taken from page 158 in the Treasures of the Fathers.
Spiritual Symbol of Marriage
The New Testament describes the Church as the Bride of Christ, preparing herself for life in the eternal kingdom (Eph 5:23). This image underlines the truth that marriage should be an exclusive and permanent union of love and fidelity. Husbands should love their wives as Christ loves His ransomed bride; wives should submit to their husbands, as they submit to Christ.
The longer people are married, they tend to reflect each other’s movements, habits, perceptions, thoughts and even mathematical skills. Those who live together invariably reflect each other, with the stronger personality generally impacting the weaker. We, too, as united to the Lord and living with Him in this world and eternally, find ourselves loosing out own traits and acquiring His – until one day we can say as St. Paul “it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Gal 2:20).
Taken from page 194 in the Treasures of the Fathers.
Wednesday – Judas betrays, Mary perfumes; God waits for the response to the invitation.
He who is not rich within himself, can never be rich, just as he would never be poor, if he is not poor in his mind. If the soul is more sublime then the body, the members lesser sublimity have no authority over with which to act even on itself. But what is of more sublimity will have authority over it and change it. Money is of no use if the soul is in poverty, and there is no harm in poverty if the soul is rich.
St. John Chrysostom, Homily 65 on John, NPNF, s. 1, v. 14.
Taken from page 243 in the Treasures of the Fathers.
Just as the grain of wheat, unless it falls into the ground and dies, does not bring forth any fruit [Jn 12:24] so, also unless the alabaster jar be broken, we cannot spread its fragrance [Mk 14: 3]…To him [Judas], it seemed to be wasting the ointment because the jar is broken, but, for us, it was a great good because the perfume spread throughout the world. Why are you indignant, Judas, because the alabaster jar is broken? God, who made you and all the nations, is blessing us with that precious perfume. You wanted to keep the perfume all sealed up so that it would not reach others.
St. Jerome, Homily 84, FC, v. 57, pp. 188-190.
Taken from page 256 in the Treasures of the Fathers.
We spend almost the entire day in the church on Thursday and Friday, so I can’t write much. Below are two great links with excerpts from the church fathers. If you want a peak at what our service is like, we will be streaming live video and audio from 8am to 6pm EST today.
